Five tips for moving overseas 1: Do not book your mover for the day before you are leaving. Sometimes trucks breakdown, ports go on strike, bad weather and accidents can sometimes cause delays. Your blood pressure will certainly be rising if there is a problem just before you are leaving the country. Always book your move a few days before your departure.

2: Always book a mover who belongs to an organization in case you need to report a problem, In the USA the best organization would be the government transport licensing authority called the Federal Maritime Commission. They have a dispute resolution division to help and advice customers in a dispute with an overseas mover and international movers do not like to get on the wrong side of the “FMC”

3: Make sure your mover has a physical address. You do not want to be authorizing your treasured belongings to be shipped by a person working in his pajamas out of his basement in a foreign country!

4: Check customs regulations for the destination you are moving to make sure you can get your items in duty and tax-free. Your mover should be advising you this but bottom line; it is your stuff so best to make sure yourself.

5: Always ask for all-inclusive door-to-door pricing. Always ask what is not included. Be blunt; ask them to explain the small print so there are no surprises during or after the move.

"The Moving Doctor", Mark Nash has been in the moving business for over 33 years and currently sits on the board of the International Shippers Association and the Commercial Affairs committee at the International Association of Movers (IAM).